Man faces federal trial on charges of growing marijuana in Tehama County

A federal grand jury in Sacramento returned an indictment Thursday charging Mexican national Christian Rubio with conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, cultivation of marijuana and depredation of public lands and resources, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner announced in a press release.

According to court documents, law enforcement agents entered a marijuana cultivation site on Aug. 14 in the Lassen National Forest near Potato Patch Campground and located more than 22,000 marijuana plants and more than one ton of processed marijuana. Rubio was arrested at the site.

The marijuana cultivation caused significant damage.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service and the Tehama County Sheriff's Department.

The sentence for the conspiracy charge is five to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The sentence for the manufacture of marijuana charges is up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The sentence for depredation of public lands and resources charge is up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.